Published March 3, 2014 By TIM NOVAK AND CHRIS FUSCO Staff Reporters
Former Mayor Richard M. Daley and eight of his relatives found themselves in the middle of the latest investigation of David Koschman’s death. But none had to testify before the grand jury that indicted Daley nephew Richard J. “R.J.” Vanecko for involuntary manslaughter.
Instead, interview transcripts and “voluntary sworn statements” that Daley and his family gave special prosecutor Dan K. Webb were read to the grand jury. The contents of those interviews and statements haven’t been made public — and there’s no plan to ever release them.
One of the few details Webb has revealed from those statements is that attorney Michael Daley, the former mayor’s brother, referred Vanecko to two of Chicago’s best-known criminal defense attorneys, Terence Gillespie and Marc Martin, within 18 days after Vanecko punched Koschman in the face and then took off in a cab in April 2004. Vanecko pleaded guilty Jan. 31 and is serving a 60-day jail sentence.